Mr. Speaker, we used to pay a penny for our thoughts, but thanks to an artist in Halifax we are now paying a nickel.
The artist, Stephen Ellwood, is an American who came to Canada because we give more money to artists than do our southern neighbours. Today Mr. Ellwood will be throwing away $300 in nickels-6,000 nickels-some off a building, others discarded on the street, to make a politically artistic statement. All of this money is at the expense of the Canada taxpayer thanks to the Canada Council.
I believe in the freedom of expression in Canada. I do not believe Canadian taxpayers should be left on the hook for every political and artistic problem we have. The Canada Council needs to overhaul its granting practices to ensure greater accountability as to how funds are distributed. It is time we looked at the current structure of the Canada Council and ask how it can continue to exist as we know it today.
Thanks to the Canada Council the Liberal government is not the only one throwing money away. Mr. Ellwood is so good at it he deserves a seat at the cabinet table as well.